Page 44 - La Vita template (3)

Inside Glimps e

With Fashion Designer Anh Volcek Photography by Lisa K. Miller

Name: Anh Volcek
Age: 35
the mice that would run around my feet while doing my homework
My Humble Beginnings: If you saw me as a child growing up in in the kitchen at 2am while my roommate was asleep.
Montreal, you'd never guess that I would ever be a fashion design-
er. I had a crooked home-made bowl cut and wore my brother's After Graduation: The hard work paid off and I got to work in Paris
hand me downs. It was the 70's so it was not very pretty. I had a for couture houses and big NY firms like Calvin Klein and Nautica.
green velvet suit, blue terry cloth shorts, and faded t-shirts. Every- In my last job, I was a design director at Gap, Inc overseeing 1.3
one thought I was a boy. I'd get a new dress from billion dollars worth of business. But looking at cargo
the sales rack for the 1st day of school each short designs was a far cry from the silk gowns I
year for the class photo. dreamed of designing as a kid...so I finally
made the move and started my own
Age 9: My mom bought me a line.
purple toy sewing machine.
I'm not sure that it was a My Inspirations:
safe toy for a young kid L'une, the name of my line,
since it really worked. means "one" in French
I started to design and it's about becoming
and make my own one with your clothes.
dresses. Without As a California girl,
any training, I'd I like my flipflops
pour over maga- as much as my
zines and draw heels. So looking
out gowns. good while being
44 I'd be super comfortable is
overdressed important.
for a casual
dinner in silk I get ideas from
velvet or silk some of the most
shantung random things
gowns, but I like the colors
didn't care. found on old rust-
ed and oxidized
Somewhere metal pipes. My
along the way, I Spring collection is
tried to listen to my inspired from the idea
mom and be more of growth. If you stand
practical regarding in one place, something
my career choice. will grow around you. All
Fashion was shelved my pieces are like second
and my desires were then skins and feel light as air when
limited to reading the monthly you wear them. I cut the silks on
fashion magazines. the bias so that it drapes beautifully
along curves and use stretch fabrics to
In college: I was studying business for 2 move as you move.
years before taking a summer course in fash-
ion design. I excelled and suddenly felt alive. I ended Goal: I would want to do most of my production in the
up moving to NY after being awarded a scholarship to Parsons States. It may cost more, and makes it hard for me to be competi-
School of Design. tive, but I really want to support the economy.
I studied really hard and each year, I'd earn an additional scholar- What Excites Me: Seeing someone on the street wearing my
ship. School was tough and it was just such a competitive environ- design.
ment, so I had few friends.
Back then, the Canadian dollar was 40 percent less, so going to Where to Find My Designs: I'm releasing some one and two of a
school and living in NY was so expensive. My dorm room was kind runway only designs for this holiday season. You can find my
cramped with 4 girls all in bunk beds. I still cringe thinking about fashions online at www.shoplunecollection.com

November/December 2010